Genre Study

After last year's genre book tasting activity (you can read about it HERE), this year's focus on genres also included a technology angle. Third, fourth, and fifth graders looked at realistic fiction, fantasy, and science fiction book trailers using QR codes.

First, students discussed characteristics of the different genres based on anchor charts like this one used with third graders examining realistic fiction:

Working in partner groups at tables, students then scanned QR codes to watch book trailers. All of the books shown are part of the library collection--which has made for some really long holds lists as students work through the activity!

Third graders started with realistic fiction.

Fourth graders started with fantasy.

Fifth graders started with science fiction.

The activity included a writing piece that asked students to record two books that seemed interesting to them after watching the trailers. Students will reuse the handout as they work through another genre in a following lesson.

Check out the students at work:

We Hosted a Book Tasting!

After seeing several book tastings on Pinterest, we decided to give it a try! We'd been wanting to showcase different genres with kids, and this seemed like a good approach. Since mysteries and graphic  novels are also popular with our kids, we added those to our book tasting as well.

We found red-and-white checked plates and put paper on the tables to look like tablecloths. Then we pulled several books in the different genres/categories we wanted to feature: realistic fiction, science fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, mystery, and graphic novels.

You can grab the genre bookmarks from HERE.

Next, we created a "menu" that kids would fill out at they listened to book talks and watched book trailers. (While we liked this version before starting the tasting, we decided we needed a simpler approach and are already thinking about how to revise it for future book tastings.)

Click HERE for source information

During the book tasting, we talked about the different genres, book talked some examples, and featured a book trailer or two. All of this we put into a Google presentation to make the lesson run more smoothly:

Students had time to browse the books at their tables after the book talks and trailers to write down titles that interested them, and we'll keep their sheets so they can refer back to them when they're looking for a book during check out.